Police dog spared death sentence

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Police dog spared death sentence Saxon is saved but cannot live with ex-handler Pc Mike TownleyA police dog who twice bit his own handler will not be put down after all. But Saxon will not be allowed to live with the constable, who backed a campaign to save the Gwent Police Alsatian deemed unfit for duty. The five-year-old dog's latest and final assessment found that he should be with an experienced

handler in a working environment. Pc Mike Townley, who is on sick leave with stress, said: "His life has been saved and that's just fantastic." He added: "He is a working dog and I wish him well in his future." Mr Townley said his wife launched the campaign to save Saxon after the dog faced being put down because Gwent Police considered the dog "unsafe". Saxon will not be put to sleep, but will be re-homed Councillor John Williams Caroline Townley said her family owed Saxon a debt of gratitude as he had saved her husband's life on several occasions, include one when the officer was attacked by a man wielding an axe. She accepted Saxon had bitten her husband twice while they worked together from 2003 to 2006, but said Pc Townley had been at fault on both occasions as he had been reprimanding the dog too harshly. Saxon faced being put down when his licence as police dog was withdrawn by the force. Criticism Following Mrs Townley's campaign, police offered the dog to the prison service, but Saxon failed to impress there as a guard dog. The force put Saxon through a "final" four-week assessment after representations from Gwent Police Authority's animal welfare committee. Committee chairman John Williams, said: "Gwent Police has accepted fully the findings of this

latest report and can confirm that as a result, Saxon will not be put to sleep, but will be re-homed. "Although the force will not seek to renew Saxon's licence as a general purpose police dog, he will continue to serve as a working dog. "Saxon will be placed into an environment outside of Gwent Police - working only with an experienced handler." He added: "The assessment report categorically states that Saxon should not be placed in a 'pet environment,' effectively ruling out a domestic placement with his ex-handler". Mr Williams said the force also accepted criticism from the report of its dog training and was working with an experienced assessor. Peter H

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